Lake Tahoe spring storm to continue into next week

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Hope you didn't put away your winter coats yet! A weather pattern more typical of early March rather than mid-May came into the Lake Tahoe basin overnight, leaving behind a dusting of snow at lake level. This unusual and persistent weather pattern will continue to send cold Pacific storms into California and Nevada through next week. Expect periods of rain, mountain snow, and strong gusty winds.

The first part of the ongoing storm will begin to wrap up in the Sierra and northwest Nevada this morning. A few showers will linger for the area today before the next part of the storm moves into the Sierra late this afternoon and overnight. This will bring additional Sierra snow with travel impacts likely overnight into Friday morning for mountain roads.

Both today and Friday will be quite cool with highs 10 to 20 degrees below normal. The breeze will make it feel even cooler.

The bad news continues. After a break Friday into Saturday morning, another storm will sweep through Saturday night into Sunday morning with more valley rain and mountain snow showers along with gusty winds.

Looking further out, additional storms are possible next week with below normal temperatures continuing.

A lake wind advisory is in place until 11:00 p.m. Thursday. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph. Lesser winds of 10 to 20 mph are possible this morning. Wave Heights: Peak wave heights of 2 to 3 feet during the strongest winds. Highest waves on the north and east sides of the lake.

An early look into Memorial Day Weekend shows warming temperatures and a chance of rain one day. Silver lining? The following week has highs in the 70s!

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

Today - Snow before 11am, then snow showers after 11am. High near 46. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight - Snow showers. Low around 32. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday - Scattered snow showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday - Scattered showers after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night - Rain showers likely before 11pm, then rain and snow showers. Low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Sunday - Rain and snow showers. High near 43. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Sunday Night - A chance of rain and snow showers before 11pm, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.

Monday - A slight chance of snow showers before 11am, then a chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.

Monday Night - A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Tuesday - A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.

Tuesday Night - A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Breezy.

Wednesday - A chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 49.